


The Case of the Missing Cell Phone

by delphia2000



Series: The Chinatown Mysteries [1]
Category: Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-16
Updated: 2009-11-16
Packaged: 2017-10-03 03:00:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13468
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphia2000/pseuds/delphia2000





	The Case of the Missing Cell Phone

"Are you sure you haven't seen it, Pop?" Peter asked for the third time.

Caine's look was pure disgust. "I am certain, Peter and...do not call me...Pop," he answered for the third time also.

Skalany tried to suppress a giggle but it slipped out anyway. It brought a smile to Caine's lips. "Your laughter...is music, Mary Margaret," he told her quietly, taking her hand.

She savored the ripples of delight that his touch set off in her. The man had magic hands. Could explain the vibrant greens of the plants that flourished all around them in Caine's greenhouse room on the top level of the old brownstone. Then again, maybe it was just her.

Catching a movement from the corner of her eye, she turned to see the Ancient, revered eldest of the Chinatown community, also smiling at her, over his teacup. Flustered, she took her hand back from Caine to pat at her hair and adjust the collar of her blouse, even though she knew it was fine.

"I was so certain I left it here," Peter muttered to himself as he rummaged through the items that littered his father's apothecary table. "How come you never seem to lose anything in all this chaos, Po..Father?"

Caine shrugged. "I do not have...things...to lose."

Mary Margaret shook off the distracting feelings she was getting from Peter's very fascinating father. "Look, partner, I've got my cell with me. Why don't we just call your number and if it's here, we'll hear it," she suggested.

Peter shook his head. "I keep it on vibrate. Learned my lesson since that time I was trying to listen in on a drug deal on the sly and Kelly called me for dinner. Almost got me ventilated."

"If it's on a hard enough surface, it should still make a noise then," Skalany insisted. "Can't hurt to try," she added, pulling the device from her handbag.

Handing it over to Peter, she went back to studying the elder Caine out of the corner of her eye. There wasn't much family resemblance between the two. Peter must look more like his mother, she decided, but none the less, the man was as handsome as his son, in his own way. Caine smiled again at her and she blushed, realizing he must have noticed her looking at him in a most unprofessional way.

Peter finished pushing the buttons on her tiny phone and they all held still for a moment, straining to listen. There was a distinct buzz and then, the clatter of porcelain as the Ancient swiftly set down his cup on the saucer. "Ah!" he exclaimed.

Reaching up his wide sleeve, he pulled the missing phone from his tunic. "What is this?" he asked innocently.

Peter was staring at him, still holding Skalany's phone and letting it continue to ring into the angrily buzzing device in the old man's hand. "My cell phone? You took my cell phone?" he accused.

"Peter," his father admonished, reaching to take the still vibrating gadget from his mentor. "Our eldest would never...take anything...that does not...belong to him. You must...apologize immediately."

"But Pop..."

His protest was cut off by the severe look his father gave him as he passed the phone back to his son. Peter swallowed his reactions and attempted to look humble. Most unsuccessfully, Skalany thought, but she gave him points for the effort. "My apologies, Lo Si. I'm sorry I left my cell phone in your...sleeve. It must have been most uncomfortable for you."

The Ancient gave Peter a beneficent smile and a gentle wave of his hand. "Not at all. You are forgiven."

Skalany took her phone back from Peter and, tucking it away, advised, "We'd better get going, partner. Crime hasn't taken any holidays from what the Chief says."

"Yeah, right. Uh, thanks Father. Sorry to bother you."

"A visit from you...is never...a bother," Caine told him sincerely. "Nor is...a visit from..your friends. Please...do come again...Mary Margaret..when you have time...to stay for some tea."

With another wave from the Ancient, they took their leave. Peter gave her an odd look as they descended the stairs. "What?" she asked, curious as to what he could possibly be thinking.

"You were flirting with my Pop," he said in a teasing tone.

"No, I wasn't!" she objected.

"You were. I know flirting when I see it."

"Okay, maybe a little. But he was flirting with me first. Besides, what's it to you?"

Peter grinned. "None of my business."

"That's right," Skalany agreed as she stopped next to the Stealth, waiting for him to unlock the door. "Now, can we get over to that address we were supposed to be at ten minutes ago?"

Peter reached into his pocket and came up empty. "My keys!" he moaned. "Where are my keys?"

She mirrored the look he gave her and, as one, they looked up at the top floor of the brownstone."You don't suppose..."

With a jerk of disgust, Peter whirled and headed back into the building. "What a humiliating development!" she heard him mutter as she leaned back on the car with a hearty laugh to wait for him.

The End


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